Otis Offers STEM Scholarships Through China Women’s Development Foundation

• Otis sponsors Mulan Development Program through China Women’s Development Program to support women in STEM
• Made to Move Communities STEM scholarships will support women from a number of universities in China
• Scholarship recipients eligible for Otis internships and other employment opportunities

BEIJING, China – April 2, 2021 – Otis Worldwide (NYSE: OTIS) and the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) jointly announced that Otis will fund STEM scholarships for outstanding women students as a sponsor of the CWDF’s Mulan Development Program. The goal of the program is to help talented young women establish a solid foundation for entrepreneurship and employment as well as promote gender equality and diversity.

(From right to left) Ms. Nan Jing, Assistant Secretary General, China Women’s Development Foundation (CWDF) and Jordi Casas, Vice President, Human Resources and Transformation, Otis China, commemorate the launch of Otis STEM Scholarships as part of the CWDF’s Mulan Development Program.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are among the fastest growing worldwide, however, these fields are also among the most gender-disproportionate with less female representation, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020.

In China specifically, the National Survey Report on the Status of Science and Technology Workers found that 33 percent of women in STEM fields believe they are not valued and 32 percent suffer from gender discrimination, with less access to professional advancement opportunities than their male peers.

The Otis Made to Move Communities Scholarships, awarded through the CWDF Mulan Development Program, support the development of STEM talent in China and aim to increase opportunities for women in STEM fields. Otis will provide scholarships totaling $50,000USD to a number of universities in China this year. The money will directly support female students with an interest in STEM fields who also demonstrate academic excellence and ambition to succeed. 

Additionally, Otis will help to identify internship and future employment opportunities for scholarship recipients to help maintain interest and pursue long-term careers in science, technology, engineering and math. 

"Women are needed in science and technology, and more women are needed to break stereotypes and reshape public perceptions,” said Zhang Jianmin, secretary-general of the China Women's Development Foundation. “With the help of responsible companies like Otis, we believe that more and more women and girls from all walks of life will have access to education and careers in STEM. We expect that in the near future, the technology industry will become more inclusive, and women will have more opportunities to contribute. "

"Otis is proud to advocate for diversity and inclusion in business and in our communities,” said Perry Zheng, President, Otis China. “We have a longstanding commitment to STEM education and greatly value partnerships with organizations like CWDF that strive to make a difference by helping under-privileged women establish careers and contribute in meaningful ways to industries across China."

In July 2020, Otis became the first in its industry to join the Paradigm for Parity® coalition, pledging to achieve gender parity in its executive ranks globally by 2030. It has also shared “Our Commitment to Change,” a global action plan that amplifies its ongoing support for STEM and vocational education among a range of other diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

About Otis

Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2 billion people a day and maintain more than 2 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move.

Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 69,000 people strong, including 40,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories.

To learn more, visit www.otis.com

About China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF)

China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) is an AAAAA foundation set up by the All-China Women's Federation in December 1988. It is a national public foundation which raises funds from China and other permitted countries and regions.

The purpose of the CWDF is to safeguard women's rights and interests, improve women's quality of life, and promote the development of women and women's causes in China, so as to make contributions to the building of a harmonious society.

Over time, to address the issues that are the biggest concern of women and the problems that are most helpful to women's interests, the CWDF has launched a series of charity programs centered around poverty reduction; health; and, female entrepreneurship. These actions have achieved pronounced social effects. The CWDF's projects including Revolving Loans for Mothers, Health Express for Mothers, Water Cellar for Mothers, and Subsidies for Impoverished Hero Mothers, have won the organization the China Charity Award, the top such honor of the Chinese government.

For more information, visit www.cwdf.org.cn/en/